


Could You...?

by Anny_the_Kitty



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 100-500 Word Chapters, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, But they bond, M/M, POV Draco Malfoy, Starts off angsty
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-06-11 03:30:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15306498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anny_the_Kitty/pseuds/Anny_the_Kitty
Summary: Draco likes Cedric. Angst ensues. Featuring supportive Lucius.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this was written 100% on a whim, has no plot and probably a ton of flaws but... I am exited about it. HP fanfic, here I come. (With a super rare pair. Oh well... :P)
> 
> P.S. I also have a tumblr. If anyone wants the link, just ask.

Cedric Diggory is perfect. Everybody knows that. He gets good grades, and he’s good at Quidditch and he’s kind and humble and—Draco hates him. Basically. Too bad that doesn’t keep him from wanting to run his fingers through his hair and kiss him under the moonlight.

His father laughs. “At least you picked a respectable wizard,” he says. At Draco’s bemused look he adds, “You are dear to me, son. Dearer than life itself. I will not judge who you choose to love.”

Except... time passes, winter vacation ends, he goes back to school and… he remembers. Cedric had asked Cho to the Yule ball. He remembers that. He wishes it didn’t ache.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Cedric accidentally knocks Draco off a broom, and they bond... kinda, sorta.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I really enjoyed writing this little exchange.

When Draco falls off his broom, he really, really, _really_ hopes Madame Pomfrey has some magical remedy lying around in one of her many infirmary drawers and cabinets. The sound his bones make when they hit the ground is almost as bad as the pain itself.

Cedric stops by to apologise, later. “Hey, I’m really sorry,” he says. “I honestly thought I saw the snitch. I didn’t—with all that rain it was…” he trails off, too guilty manage saying anything more.

“It’s fine,” Draco says, much too pale, even for him. “Broken bones heal. Dad’s probably not going to like hearing I can’t play quidditch for the rest of the year, though.”

Cedric chuckles, and it’s a strangely bitter sound. “He the demanding type?”

“You could say that,” Draco says, despondent. “He loves me; he’s just… _difficult_.”

“Yeah, mine too. He kind of… just _expects_ greatness, you know? Like I _couldn’t possibly_ not live up to it. Like it’s a built-in feature or something.”

He sounds so wounded that Draco almost loses sight of the selfless quidditch captain. For some strange, unidentifiable reason, it gives him hope.

“Well… if you ever wanna talk about it,” he says, “I wouldn’t mind.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it,” Cedric answers. “Anything I can do for you?”

“Pass me that water bottle? I’m parched.”

“Oh, yeah. Sure thing.”

When Cedric hands him the bottle, their fingers brush for a millisecond, and it’s surprisingly tender. Surprisingly meaningful in ways Draco isn’t quite ready to admit to himself. He coughs. “Thank you,” he says, taking a sip. “So, see you around then?”

“I could stay if you want,” Cedric suggests. “Keep you a bit of company? This place is horrible when you’re alone. I should know. Spent the second half of my first week at Hogwarts here. Little tip: don’t wander off into the Forbidden Forest alone.”

Draco laughs. “Too late. Already did. Detention, I think the headmaster called it.”

Cedric looks at him incredulously, jaw almost dropping to the floor.

“I’m not lying,” Draco assures. “At least it was _creative_ punishment.”

“But,” Cedric says, “the school bylaws—.”

Draco cuts him off. “Don’t really matter when you’re a Slytherin.”

“That’s not really fair.”

“Life rarely is,” Draco says with a shrug. “You know, I think I’ll take you up on that offer. Some company sounds nice,” he adds with a warm half-smile.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter. Enjoy. :)

When he’s discharged, Cedric waves him over to the Hufflepuff table. Draco spares a glance at his friends—or rather, as close to friends as he can get—ignores the way Pansy’s nose wrinkles, and joins him.

He knows what the other houses think of Slytherins. He’s perfectly aware he’s been branded the moment the sorting hat had shouted the word out. It may as well have declared _evil_ to everyone in the Great Hall. It would have been more efficient that way. He expects it now. The looks. The sneers. The poorly-muted whispering.

But Cedric welcomes him with a friendly pat on the back and asks what his favorite kind of marmalade is. Draco absentmindedly answers that it’s orange, and—it’s unexpected, sure, but not unwelcome.

Something warm takes up space inside Draco’s chest. He doesn’t dwell on it too long. It might singe him.

…

“So,” Pansy teases, “we’ve made ourselves a new friend, haven’t we?”

“Shut up, Pans,” Draco retorts, ice cold.

He expects this, too.

There are things he’s been raised to live by. To live with. This is just one more of them. And, despite what his father might say, he’s not about to turn his back on any of it. Tradition matters. It means something.  

It makes _him_ mean something.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's an update. Some plot kinda happens in this one. Enjoy!

Time passes as it always does, fickle, dependent thing that it is. Potter’s luck never seems to run out. The second task hangs over them all, and when Draco finds out what it is, he wants to rip his immaculately-cared-for hair out.

“That’s insane,” he says. “They can’t make you—there’s a thousand dangerous creatures under there, Cedric, and only about half of them even remotely care about our beloved headmaster. You could get hurt or drown or cause some sort of interspecies political conflict—I hear mermaids have really strict laws—“

 Cedric smiles at him, carefree and just the slightest bit uneven, and Draco’s mind stops in its frantic tracks. “Relax, Draco,” he says, “It’ll be fine. Worst case scenario, I’ll get a cool scratch to show off. I hear that most people find those hot,” he says with a wink.

“But—but—,” he stutters. Apparently, all those governesses his mother had paid for were wasted money, since he can’t seem to be able to string two words together properly. “You—That—It isn’t _fair_ ,” he says, and it comes out grumpy and petulant.

Cedric’s smile never wanes, and he ruffles Draco’s hair. “A very smart boy once told me that life wasn’t fair,” he says.

“Well, he was wrong,” Draco says, undeterred.

“He really wasn’t, though.”

Draco sighs. “I just don’t want you—or anyone for that matter—to get hurt.”

“I know you don’t,” Cedric says. “But hey, we all faced dragons and did fine. How much worse could it get?”

“That was different.”

“Oh, really?” Cedric asks, raising an eyebrow. “How so?”

Draco’s cheeks redden. “You weren’t my friend, back then.”


End file.
